Fires of Prophecy_ Book Two of the Morcyth Saga - Brian Pratt [149]
Walking toward the spot where Jiron hangs precariously upon the wall, the guard draws ever closer and then passes a scant two feet beneath Jiron as he continues on his way. Stopping the sigh of relief that almost escapes him, he waits until the guard moves further away then he maneuvers to the window and positions himself so he can look inside. He sees James still there on the bed, the door closed and no one else is in the room.
Realizing the first guard is about to turn the corner, he moves away from the light coming through the window and back into the shadows. He holds still as he waits for the guard to turn the corner and pass underneath. Once he’s past, Jiron returns to the window and attempts to open it. The window opens easily and he slips inside before the second guard makes his appearance. He shuts the window just as the second guard turns the corner and then moves silently over to the bed upon which James is lying.
He looks like he’s sleeping. Jiron shakes his shoulder in an attempt to wake him. What’s wrong with him? His eyes open a fraction and then he mumbles something incoherently before slipping back into unconsciousness. Now what?
Trying to determine the best way to get him out of the house, he realizes going out the door would be a bad idea. The guards standing outside would alert the whole house to his presence. He might be able to hold his own against the guards, but he would stand little chance against the mage. That leaves the window.
He moves back to the window and peers out, trying to avoid casting his silhouette from the candle on the table across the window. Other than the two guards passing at intervals around the house, the only other guard visible is stationed at the gate. A plan begins to form and he waits until the first guard passes by before slipping back out the window. He closes the window once he’s securely clinging to the side of the house and manages to maneuver down the side a little before the second guard rounds the corner.
After the second guard passes by below, he drops silently to the ground and immediately ducks behind the bush. The guard pauses a moment as he looks back in his direction. Not seeing Jiron hiding behind the bushes, he turns back and resumes his trek around the house.
He waits for the first guard to pass again before racing across the lawn to the wall and the safety of the shadows there. Pausing a moment to see if he was seen, he then moves silently toward the gate and the guard stationed there. Luckily, the gate is poorly illuminated on this side of the wall so it’s easy enough for him to sneak upon the guard and quickly silence him. He pulls the guard’s dead body along the wall and stuffs it behind several bushes.
Checking the gate, he finds it locked. Returning to the dead guard, he searches his pockets until he finds a set of keys. Returning to the gate, he uses the keys to unlock it and then places a stone against its base to prevent it from swinging open and announcing to everyone that something’s not right.
He goes back to the deeper shadows along the wall as he watches the two guards continuing their patrol. When the first one passes again, he races once more to the side of the house and again hides behind the bush until the second one has passed. Then when the first one rounds the corner and passes by the bush he’s hiding behind, he jumps out and grabs the guard from behind. Quickly and quietly he slits the guard’s throat with his knife, then drags the body back behind the bush and lays it against the house.
Taking his place behind the bush, he waits for the second guard to round the corner and pass by. He again jumps out and silences him the same way he did the first. When the second guard’s body lies next to the first, he begins to scale the wall, this time more interested in speed than in avoiding making noise.
At the window to James’ room, he cautiously peers